Late pregnancy: pros and cons

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

When is the ideal age for motherhood? There is no answer to this question - or rather, there are a lot of answers, because every woman has her own opinion on this matter.

Someone believes that it is imperative to give birth before the age of 25 - at least the first child, then it will be too late. Someone will say that first you need to get an education, build a career, achieve material independence in order to provide the child with everything he needs.

In general, by modern standards, a truly late pregnancy means one that occurs after 40 years, and having decided to give birth to a child at this age, it is worthwhile to properly study the possible pros and cons.

Photo: 123RF / Aleksandr Davydov

In many respects, late pregnancy is not inferior to that which occurs, for example, at 20-25 years. Firstly, motherhood at this age can hardly be called unplanned and accidental - for most women this is a completely deliberate step, when all the pros and cons have long been weighed.

At 20, you still want, as they say, to live for yourself, at 25-35 ambitions require building a career without being distracted, but closer to 40, a woman is ready not only to give birth, but, which is no less important, to raise a child, give him all the necessary time and energy. Secondly, pregnancy can have a beneficial effect on the body of the expectant mother: hormones produced during pregnancy help to increase the elasticity of muscle tissue and strengthen the skeletal system, reducing the risk of osteoporosis, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which reduces the risk of hypertension and stroke, and menopause will come later. Thirdly, the financial situation of an adult mother is usually much more stable, so you can afford to hire a nanny or, conversely, sit with the child herself for more than the prescribed maternity months.

Photo: 123RF / Marina Sokolova

However, after 35, certain risks also increase: in particular, the likelihood of an ectopic pregnancy, genetic developmental abnormalities or hereditary diseases. More often complications arise: miscarriages, premature birth, fetal hypoxia and chromosomal abnormalities. In addition, in the overwhelming majority of cases with such pregnancies, a cesarean section is indicated, the scar from which many women consider aesthetically unattractive.

In addition, it is widely believed that with age, the strength is no longer the same, and the energy is much less than at 20-25 years old: it is more difficult not only to cope with toxicosis and lower back pain, climb stairs and bend over with a big belly, but also not sleep all night when the baby is naughty, or keep up with a restless one-year-old child who just strives to slip out of sight.

Therefore, those who first decided to become a mother at the age of 35-40 should be especially careful in planning pregnancy. It is best to start preparation at least three months in advance. First of all, you need to get rid of bad habits, because toxins are removed from the body not in one day or even in a few weeks, but much longer.

In parallel with this, it is time to start a medical examination: visit a gynecologist, therapist, ENT, as well as a dentist - to cure all problem teeth and replace sagging fillings, because if a tooth hurts already during pregnancy, you will either have to abandon anesthesia or expose the child to completely unnecessary additional risk … Adult mothers are also advised to check blood vessels, because in the process of carrying a baby, the uterus will have to grow several times, which will be problematic with poor blood supply.

In order to minimize the risks of congenital malformations of the fetus and a defect in the neural tube (the future brain and spinal cord of the child), as well as to facilitate the course of pregnancy, scientists and doctors advise starting the use of folic acid. Folate contributes to a healthy pregnancy and significantly reduces the likelihood of malformations. In this case, folic acid must be taken even at the stage of pregnancy planning: the neural tube is formed in the first month, therefore it is so important to provide the body with a protective level of folate even before conception.

Photo: 123RF / Nina Piankova

This vitamin is found in green vegetables and herbs, rose hips, beets, peas, beans, pumpkin, cereals, bananas, lamb, animal liver, tuna, salmon, but it is not so easy to “eat up” the required dose daily and it is best to start taking it in advance. vitamin and mineral complexes. Clinical trials carried out by Hungarian specialists have proven unconditional effectiveness in the prevention of neural tube defects of the Elevit Pronatal IUD, one tablet of which contains 800 mcg of folic acid - this dosage is optimal for fast saturation of the body with folates. It not only achieves a protective level of folate in the blood in just 4 weeks, but also reduces the risk of developing neural tube defects by 92%.

All expectant mothers should devote time to nutrition and physical activity, but the older the woman, the more carefully you need to monitor your weight, since hormones are already subject to changes with age, and extra pounds can negatively affect it. Of course, no one says that pregnant women need to settle in the gym and exhaust themselves with physical activity, coupled with strict diets - in no case. It is best to choose something not very intense: Nordic walking, yoga, swimming, water aerobics.

Photo: 123RF / golubovy

You can also pay attention to dancing - they perfectly help to strengthen the abdominal muscles, which will be very useful directly during childbirth.

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As for nutrition, here it is also better to adhere to the golden mean: do not allow yourself too much that is superfluous and harmful (fast food, flour products, sweets, including sweet fruits, spicy, sour and exotic dishes), but also do not forget to spoil sometimes yourself with something tasty. In general, the basis of the diet of the expectant mother should be proteins and complex carbohydrates: eggs, dairy products, meat, chicken, cottage cheese, cereals, whole grain bread, non-starchy vegetables, herbs and fruits. It is recommended to drink tea and coffee no more than two cups a day and not very strong.

Late pregnancy, of course, increases the risk of complications, so it is best for the expectant mother to protect herself as much as possible in all spheres of life: move, if possible, to an area with good ecology, do not lift weights, do not fly on airplanes (especially in the first and last weeks of pregnancy), avoid stressful situations, unpleasant people - in particular, those who like to frighten with "horror stories" about what the first late pregnancy threatens to turn into.

You should also not read forums on the Internet, where visitors intimidate each other with stories of their acquaintances and their acquaintances. It is better to listen only to your specialist and follow all his recommendations. An early medical examination and taking vitamins, along with a healthy lifestyle and a calm, positive emotional background, will minimize risks and truly enjoy late pregnancy.